Litigation
PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC et al. v. LIBERTY ENERGY SERVICES LLC et al.
Active2:25-cv-00522
- Filed
- 2025-06-24
Patents at issue (1)
Plaintiffs (4)
Summary
Plaintiffs PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC, PROFRAC MANUFACTURING, LLC, U.S. WELL SERVICES, LLC, and U.S. WELL SERVICES HOLDINGS, LLC sued LIBERTY ENERGY SERVICES LLC, LIBERTY ENERGY, INC., and LIBERTY ADVANCED EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGIES LLC for infringement of US patent 11009162, seeking a permanent injunction. The case is active in the Eastern District of Texas.
Case overview & background
Plain-language overview of the case: parties, accused product, patents at issue, and why the suit matters.
Key legal developments & outcome
Major rulings, motions, claim construction, settlements, and the present posture or final disposition.
The case "PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC et al. v. LIBERTY ENERGY SERVICES LLC et al.", Case number: 2:25-cv-00522, was filed on June 24, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division. This litigation involves alleged infringement of US patent 11009162. As of the current date (May 26, 2026), the case is active.
Given the relatively recent filing date, detailed information on later stages like trial, verdict, or appeal is unlikely to be available yet. My search will focus on initial pleadings, any substantial pre-trial motions, claim construction scheduling, and any parallel PTAB proceedings.
Here's a breakdown of the key legal developments so far:
1. Filing & Initial Pleadings:
- 2025-06-24: Plaintiffs PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC, PROFRAC MANUFACTURING, LLC, U.S. WELL SERVICES, LLC, and U.S. WELL SERVICES HOLDINGS, LLC filed a complaint against LIBERTY ENERGY SERVICES LLC, LIBERTY ENERGY, INC., and LIBERTY ADVANCED EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGIES LLC in the Eastern District of Texas, alleging infringement of US Patent 11009162 and seeking a permanent injunction.
2. Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings:
- A search of the USPTO PTAB database for patent 11009162 did not immediately reveal any active or concluded Inter Partes Review (IPR) or Post-Grant Review (PGR) proceedings as of the current date.
Due to the limited time since the case was filed (less than a year), it is probable that the litigation is still in its early stages, likely involving initial discovery, scheduling, and potentially early motions, but not yet reaching claim construction, summary judgment, or trial. Without direct PACER access or specific legal news articles detailing docket events for this precise case number, further specific developments beyond the filing cannot be detailed at this time.The patent infringement litigation, PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC et al. v. LIBERTY ENERGY SERVICES LLC et al., Case number 2:25-cv-00522, commenced in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, on June 24, 2025. The case remains active as of May 26, 2026.
Here are the key legal developments to date:
1. Filing & Initial Pleadings
- 2025-06-24: Plaintiffs PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC, PROFRAC MANUFACTURING, LLC, U.S. WELL SERVICES, LLC, and U.S. WELL SERVICES HOLDINGS, LLC initiated the lawsuit by filing a complaint against LIBERTY ENERGY SERVICES LLC, LIBERTY ENERGY, INC., and LIBERTY ADVANCED EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGIES LLC. The complaint alleges infringement of US Patent 11009162 and seeks, among other remedies, a permanent injunction.
2. Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings
- A review of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) database at the USPTO did not identify any active or concluded Inter Partes Review (IPR) or Post-Grant Review (PGR) proceedings concerning US Patent 11009162.
Given the case's filing date in June 2025, it is currently in its relatively early stages. Specific details regarding subsequent pleadings (such as answers or counterclaims), substantial pre-trial motions (like motions to dismiss or transfer), claim construction proceedings (Markman), discovery milestones, or any trial events are not publicly detailed through general search avenues at this time. The litigation has not yet reached a final disposition such as settlement, dismissal, judgment, or appeal.
Plaintiff representatives
Counsel of record for the plaintiff(s): attorneys, firms, and roles (lead counsel, of counsel, local counsel).
- King & Spalding
- Thomas M. Melsheimer · Lead Counsel
- Rex A. Mann · Counsel
The plaintiff(s) in PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC et al. v. LIBERTY ENERGY SERVICES LLC et al. are represented by the following counsel:
Thomas M. Melsheimer
- Role: Lead Counsel (Trial Lawyer)
- Firm: King & Spalding, Dallas, Texas
- Experience Note: Thomas Melsheimer is the Global Head of Trial and Managing Partner of the Dallas office at King & Spalding. He is a highly accomplished trial lawyer with extensive jury trial experience across various claims, including patent infringement, and has been recognized as one of the nation's leading trial lawyers. He has tried civil cases involving breach of contract, business torts and fraud, trade secret, patent, antitrust, and securities claims.
Rex A. Mann
- Role: Counsel
- Firm: King & Spalding, Dallas, Texas
- Experience Note: Rex Mann is a trial lawyer focusing on patent litigation and other complex commercial litigation matters. He has extensive experience in patent-heavy districts, including the Eastern and Western Districts of Texas, and his engineering background allows him to deeply understand clients' technologies.
Ahtoosa A. Dale was previously listed as counsel for the plaintiffs but filed an unopposed motion to withdraw as attorney, which was granted by Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne on July 24, 2025.
Defendant representatives
Counsel of record for the defendant(s): attorneys, firms, and roles (lead counsel, of counsel, local counsel).
- Shook, Hardy & Bacon
- Robert H. Reckers · Lead Counsel
tool_code
print(google_search.search(queries=["PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC v. LIBERTY ENERGY SERVICES LLC 2:25-cv-00522 PACER", "PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC v. LIBERTY ENERGY SERVICES LLC 2:25-cv-00522 defendant counsel", "Liberty Energy Services LLC patent litigation counsel", "Liberty Energy Inc. patent litigation counsel"]))
thought
The user is asking for the counsel of record for the defendants in the specified patent infringement case. I need to find the names, roles, firms, office locations, and relevant experience for each attorney representing Liberty Energy Services LLC, Liberty Energy, Inc., and Liberty Advanced Equipment Technologies LLC.
I will use web search with the case name and number, focusing on finding docket information or legal news that might list the appearing attorneys. PACER would be the most direct source, but since I don't have direct PACER access, I'll rely on public aggregators of PACER data or legal news outlets that report on docket events.
My search queries will aim to find the appearance of counsel for the defendants.
The previous turn indicated that PACER access is not available directly, and the search focused on "public aggregators of PACER data or legal news outlets". This is a limitation I need to keep in mind.
I need to identify the defense counsel. I will start by searching for the case name and number along with "counsel" or "attorneys".
Let's refine the search strategy. I'll search for the case name and number and specifically look for "docket" or "appearances" to try and find attorney listings. I'll also try searching for the defendant companies' names and "patent litigation counsel" to see if there are any recurring firms or attorneys they use, which could then be cross-referenced with the case.
Given the previous limitation ("Without direct PACER access or specific legal news articles detailing docket events for this precise case number, further specific developments beyond the filing cannot be detailed at this time."), it might be challenging to find specific attorney appearances without direct PACER access. I will try my best to find this information through publicly available information.Here is the identified counsel of record representing the defendant(s) in PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC et al. v. LIBERTY ENERGY SERVICES LLC et al., Case number 2:25-cv-00522:
Robert H. Reckers
- Role: Lead Counsel (Partner)
- Firm: Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P., Houston, Texas.
- Experience: Mr. Reckers is a trial lawyer with over 20 years of experience focusing on intellectual property litigation. His past work includes securing favorable settlements and verdicts in complex patent cases, with his teams obtaining over $1.4 billion in patent enforcement actions, and he has successfully defended clients, including a $339 million jury verdict for patent infringement against Google.
As of the current date, Robert H. Reckers is explicitly named as a signatory on the "Joint (Agreed) Motion for Entry of Docket Control Order" filed in Case No. 2:25-cv-00522-JRG-RSP, representing Liberty Energy Services, LLC, Liberty Energy, Inc., and Liberty Advanced Equipment Technologies LLC.
While it is common practice for parties in the Eastern District of Texas to engage local counsel, particularly given that the district does not have a specific local counsel requirement beyond attorney admission, no other specific defense counsel have been identified through publicly available docket information for this case at this time.